The pinched cookies are delicious almond treats, typical of Sicilian pastries. They are named this way because they are “pinched” before baking to achieve the typical irregular shape. They are made with few and simple ingredients. Moreover, in this recipe only egg whites are used, making it a perfect recipe for recycling if you have some left over! Also, since they’re only made with almond flour, they’re gluten-free. They are prepared quite quickly because you don’t need to roll out the dough or cut it with specific molds, but a long rest in the fridge is needed to achieve the right consistency. Only in this way, they will be crispy outside and soft inside, making them ideal as a dessert, to accompany tea, or perfect as a Christmas gift idea. The almond pinched cookies will conquer everyone with their delicate flavor and softness.
If you’re looking for other Christmas treat ideas, try these recipes too:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 13 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas, Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it won’t cost you anything extra!
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup egg whites (at room temperature)
- 3 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 orange zest (untreated)
- as needed powdered sugar
Tools
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 1 Zester
- 1 Baking Tray
- 1 Mat
Steps
Making almond pinched cookies is really easy. In a bowl, start by mixing with the help of a spoon the brown sugar with the almond flour*.
Add the grated zest of one untreated orange**.
And finally the egg whites at room temperature.
Keep mixing until the flour absorbs all the egg whites.
When the mixture is difficult to work with a spoon, start kneading it with your hands until you achieve a homogeneous, soft but firm dough.
Take small portions slightly larger than a walnut (about 20 g) and form balls with your hands.
Pour a little powdered sugar into a bowl and roll them one by one, trying to make it stick well, but at the same time removing the excess.
Place the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or as I did with a reusable silicone mat and pinch them with your thumb and index finger of both hands, pressing slightly. Transfer the tray to the refrigerator and let the cookies rest for at least 3 hours, but it’s better to leave them overnight***. After the resting time, bake in a preheated fan oven at 340°F for 12 minutes, no more. They should only lightly brown or they’ll get too hard.
Once baked, take them out of the oven, let them cool slightly before removing them from the tray as they will still be soft, and then let them cool completely on a wire rack for desserts.
Once cool, you can store them in a jar or serve them.
And voilà… the almond pinched cookies are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉If stored inside a food bag or a cookie tin, the almond pinched cookies will remain fresh for a week.
Tips, Notes, Variations, and Suggestions
🟣*If you don’t have almond flour, you can make it at home by following this procedure:
Blanch equal amounts of almonds for a few minutes in boiling water, then, drain and peel them by gently pressing with your fingers. The almonds should then be dried in the oven at a very low temperature around 212°F for 10 minutes, because they should not be toasted, just lose their moisture. You can also use already peeled almonds and skip these two steps. Finally, grind them into flour using a mixer or coffee grinder, putting a few at a time along with a pinch of sugar taken from the total amount in the recipe, so that the almonds won’t release their oil.
🟣**Be careful not to take the white part too, which causes a bitter aftertaste. If you like, you can replace the orange zest with another citrus fruit, such as lemon or mandarin, or flavor the dough with vanilla extract or ground cinnamon.
🟣***If you don’t have much time, you can speed up the resting time by placing the balls in the freezer for 40 minutes but not beyond or they risk freezing.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Is it possible to make this recipe vegan?
For those who want, it’s possible to replace the egg whites with the same quantity of chickpea brine, the famous aquafaba. You won’t notice the difference.
